Okaeri
by A Hidden Path
Summary: Koushiro and Eimi move into their first apartment together just before starting college. Now that they're independent, it's time for Koushiro to fulfill the promise he made to Eimi three years ago... A two part story that takes place between Growing Up with You and its upcoming sequel. Rated M for sexual content. Complete!
1. Pt 1

**Okaeri**

 _Pt 1 of 2_

Koushiro and Eimi stood on the walkway outside of their new front door, waving as his parents drove off. A pang of homesickness stung him when he caught his mother's eye through the passenger window.

The van rolled away, and Eimi leaned over the railing to continue waving. Finally, she straightened and sighed. "It's strange. I've been looking forward to moving into our apartment for weeks, and I'm so happy. But now… I'm a little sad, too."

Koushiro nodded. His parents had cared for and supported him for eighteen years, and even opened their home to Eimi for the last three. While independence was thrilling, it was lonely to imagine a home without them.

Fortunately, he had plenty of things to distract him. He opened the door and made way for Eimi, as the genkan was too tiny to admit them both at once. She removed her shoes and stepped into the hall. Koushiro didn't realize how keyed up he was until he ripped his sneaker off so hard that it crashed into Eimi's.

Eimi held her arms out and gave him a shaky smile. Koushiro stared at the girl he had grown up with, who was now a young woman- and his girlfriend and roommate. She had brown hair, a voluptuous body, and a sweet, lilting voice. Her face was round and nondescript, except for her eyes. They were large, deep brown, framed with long eyelashes, and currently overspilling with emotion.

"Koushiro," she murmured, with a warmth that beckoned him. "Okaeri."

Koushiro smacked his foot against the ledge separating the genkan from the hall in his haste to reach her, but the pain was lost amid the screaming signals of his nervous system. Eimi wrapped her arms around him and nestled her head on his shoulder. He knew that he should say something, but his throat closed tight at the prospect of waxing sentimental. All he could do was hold her and trust that she would understand.

She eased back from their embrace, and Koushiro leaned closer when her tongue darted over her lips. "U-um, so… If you help me unpack our kitchen stuff, I can start dinner. I think Kae-san left us groceries. What should our first meal here be?"

His grip on her hips tightened, nudging her back into him. "Mom left takeout to heat up."

Eimi glanced down the hallway over her shoulder. The first opening led to a kitchen. From this angle, Koushiro could see a stack of boxes containing their serving ware and cooking effects. "Oh. Well, I guess we should unpack our plates, then?"

Koushiro cupped her cheek and tilted her face back towards his. When their eyes met, she colored and looked away. He could hardly blame her; his hand was trembling against her heating skin. "E-Eimi… Almost three years ago, I made you a promise."

A shiver rippled over her. After a long pause, she nodded. Koushiro waited, desperately hoping that she'd help him along, but the silence stretched to unbearable lengths. "I, um… I would, ah, like to… Like to honor it. Very much."

The dusting of pink spreading over her face rushed to deep scarlet. He brushed his lips against hers, testing the waters and hoping she'd demonstrate the same enthusiasm that prompted his promise three years ago.

Her mouth molded to his, a sweet, familiar kiss. The contact was loving, but light and chaste. She slid away, and Koushiro examined her face, desperate for information. What he had identified as nerves before seemed more like fear now. "Is something wrong?"

"Um…" She hooked her fingertips against his and tugged. "C-come to the bedroom with me?"

 _That is the goal, yes._ It was clear that this wasn't the time for wit, so he allowed her to lead him further into the apartment.

Their home was near their new campus, the Tokyo Institute of Technology in Meguro-ka. Although Meguro-ka was outside of Tokyo's city center, it was closer than Odaiba. Thus, their money didn't stretch as far, and they were in a basic unit with a living area, a kitchen, a bedroom, a bath, a toilet room, and a balcony.

It couldn't compete with Odaiba Mansion, his parents' apartment complex located about forty minutes away by train. But as Koushiro glanced into the rooms they passed and saw his possessions mixed with Eimi's, his appreciation for the place increased. An uncommonly foolish grin overtook his face as she guided him into their bedroom.

 _Our bedroom._ His grip tightened on her hand as they stepped inside. It was small, not much larger than the Western style queen bed inside of it. It accommodated a nightstand on either side of the bed, one of Koushiro's three book shelves, and a wall that slid to conceal a closet. Piles of moving boxes filled what little space remained. Eimi had chosen the bedspread, a white comforter decorated with purple flowers.

She sat on the foot of the bed, and he settled down beside her. "I… I need to tell you something."

"Eimi…" Koushiro fought to quell his rising anxiety. He had expected Eimi to feel nervous, but eager and excited about their first sexual experience. What could be the problem? "Whatever it is, everything will be okay. If you need to wait for any reason, that's alright."

She smiled, but no spark of happiness lit her eyes. "Um… Back when we agreed to put off sex until we were independent, I… At first, I really struggled to… I wanted you so much. I guess that's why, on Christmas Eve that year, I… pushed to see if you _really_ wanted to wait. When I found that you did, I knew I had to do something to stop… Needing you so badly. You probably know what I'm talking about."

Koushiro paused to gather himself. His typically placid emotions rioted, a mix of screaming voices with no common goal. There was desire, revving up his pulse and clouding his mind. Nerves were adjacent, begging for a reprieve from the cacophony. Regret and sorrow, similar yet distinct, reminded him that Eimi wouldn't have struggled if he hadn't requested abstinence to safeguard her future and the reputation of his parents, who had kindly taken her in.

"I'm aware that you stopped kissing me the way you once did," he said at last. "And that physically, there's been distance between us."

"I needed it," she muttered, staring at her knees. "I felt weird about it, because it didn't seem like a struggle for you, but I… Stars, I must sound like a perv. I just, I wanted you so badly."

"That's nothing to be ashamed of. I wanted you, too. I'm sorry it's been so difficult."

"How did you do it? If it bothered you, it never showed." Eimi's shoulders scrunched, and somehow, Koushiro squished her even closer. When her body language folded up like this, he knew he was in danger of being shut out. That would be fatal at such a crucial moment.

"Um…" Koushiro hesitated, but the vulnerability in her eyes reassured him that this was a safe space. "It… It _was_ difficult; exceedingly so. But I didn't want to trouble you with my desires, especially since, of the two of us, you were more willing."

Her head fell heavily against his shoulder. "I would have done anything for you."

"I know," he murmured, ignoring the pang deep within his chest. "And that's why… I couldn't ask you to wait and then complain of how difficult waiting is. I truly apologize for putting you through so much. I'm not sure how comforting this is, but… As I promised, now that we're independent, I'll do anything you ask of me."

"A-about that… Kissing you, wanting you- It felt so natural before. But I had to work so hard to ignore it, to turn it off. I tried to think about how to turn it back on ahead of time, but, uh… It turns out that isn't instantaneous, either."

A sick, sinking sensation pulled at Koushiro's gut. Had his caution damaged something between them? He wanted to take care of Eimi, not push her away. "You're saying you don't want…?"

Those big brown eyes widened, lids flaring with panic. "I do! But now it, it feels so scary and awkward. I don't know what to do! I didn't even think about it before! I just looked at you and wanted to kiss you, so I did, and then I wanted to do more, but now… Now when I kiss you, it feels loving, but not… sexy. I think I want to have sex with you because I want the intimacy, but that physical tug… I don't know how to get it back."

They stared at one another, mutually losing composure. When Eimi sniffled, the stupefying effect of shock shattered, replaced by the need to act. He forced a calm, steady tone and said, "You mentioned being afraid. Do you know why that is?"

"Um… I don't know. I trust you, but somehow the thought of getting naked and being sexy… It used to sound so good, but now it makes me nervous. Instead of being something to look forward to, it's something hanging overhead, something I'm not sure how to handle."

"Alright," Koushiro murmured. "This doesn't seem like a logical issue, but would it offend you if I approach it like one? As always, my intention is never to overlook your feelings."

A little laugh slid free and languished into a sigh. "I could use some logic right now."

"Alright. Suppose we do something sexual. What's the worst thing that could happen?"

After a long, tense pause, Eimi's words poured forth, running together like raindrops in a hurricane. "That I'll be terrible at it? That after we've built up the thought of sex for three years, I won't be as pretty as you imagined or as satisfying a lover as you hoped. That no matter what we do, I won't be able to feel turned on. That you don't really want this at all, since you suggested waiting this long in the first place. That somehow, I'll take this thing that's supposed to be so easy and natural and disappoint you."

A stunned silence followed. Koushiro could do nothing but stare until a tear rolled down her cheek. He crushed her against his side, eliciting a surprised squeak. "All of that… You carried _all of that_ inside of you for _three years?_ Why didn't you- Of course. Because you thought it would make me feel guilty, or that it would pressure me into having sex."

Her only response was an awkward humming sound. Swallowing a sigh, Koushiro patted her shoulder. "I can't promise that this will go smoothly. But remember, everything we do together will be a two-person interaction. It isn't your fault if things are awkward or somehow not ideal. There's no need for you to carry this burden."

"I know, but…" Her voice was small and timid, a painfully familiar tone that Koushiro had hoped to never hear again. It caused an ache that he was entirely unprepared for, and Eimi's strained expression blurred as tears coated his eyes.

He grabbed her hand, needing the reassurance of touch. "Please, Eimi. Don't be frightened. Not here. I've wanted, so badly and for so long, for you to have a safe home."

"I know." She squeezed back so hard that his fingers began to tingle. "And I was safe with you and your parents, too."

"You were," Koushiro agreed, smiling at the memory. Although the events that led Eimi to move out of her family's home and into his were tumultuous, her life turned around with amazing speed afterward. "A safe space was all you needed to flourish, and you're safe here. Whatever we do today, nothing will happen without your consent. So please… Don't be frightened."

"Thank you," Eimi whispered. She grinned, but the worried creases in her brow remained. Growing desperate, Koushiro searched for another angle and turned to the rational kindness that was his unique currency.

"What do you expect to gain from this experience, Eimi? We're adults who want to be intimate because we care for one another. That's what matters. Not physical appearances, not sexual skill, not even the pleasure. Taking care of one another, giving of ourselves… That's why we're here, and that's what I expect. And I have a lifetime of experience with you that tells me you'll be astonishingly skilled at fulfilling those expectations."

Eimi made a choking noise deep in her throat, then threw her arms around him. When she kissed his cheek and relaxed against him, Koushiro knew that he had finally made his point. "Stars, I… Thank you. Now I wish I had told you this years ago."

He kissed the crown of her head and sighed. "While I want to encourage communication, I'm not sure if it would have helped. I needed time to grow and mature; that's partially why I wanted to wait. I doubt that I would have been able to say anything helpful when I was fifteen."

He felt her lips twist up against his neck. "You say that, but I'm not sure if you would have been able to talk at all if we did what I wanted to back then."

"P-perhaps not." Heat rose to his cheeks as she stradled him, sitting on his lap.

She offered a small, uncertain smile that tugged at his heart. "Um, so… Would you like to… W-what should we do?"

Koushiro's hands tightened around her hips. A great many options crowded his brain, fighting for processing power. He considered asking her what she wanted, what was comfortable for her, but the hesitance in her eyes hinted that she wanted to be led. His mouth dried out. _Years ago, I could have surrendered to her and let things unfold naturally. Now, I_ _'m forced to take charge in a matter I'm not suited to. What should I do?_

The silence stretched on as he searched for an option that would allow him to ease into things. "Um… Would you like to, ah… take a b-bath together?"

Color blazed across her face, and judging by his sudden lightheadedness, he was suffering the same malady. "Um, uh, will we both fit?"

"It will be tight." Somehow, despite the nerves jangling across his system, Koushiro added, "I won't mind."

She swallowed so hard that Koushiro could see the lump slide down her throat. "And you're sure you want… With me…?"

"I admit that I'm nervous, but there's nothing I want more." Koushiro stood, forced a smile, and gently tugged on her hands. "Shall we?"

 **Soon After**

Koushiro opened the door to the bath for her, and Eimi stepped inside. Although they were alone in the apartment, he closed it behind him. A tingle of apprehension shivered down her spine as the latch slid home.

Eimi hovered awkwardly by the washing machine, avoiding stepping past the screen that separated the laundry area from the bathing area. The tub waited beyond it, along with the spigot and stool for washing off before soaking.

Koushiro caught her eye and smiled, but Eimi recognized a front when she saw it. He was nervous, she was nervous, and she had no idea how to behave. At first, she thought he was toying with the buttons on his shirt, but she realized that he was trying to unbutton it and failing because his fingers were shaking.

 _Koushiro_ _…_ Nodding to herself, Eimi opened the cabinet above the laundry appliances and removed two towels. She draped them over the screen, then stepped around it. Koushiro followed her and smacked into her back when she came to an abrupt stop.

The bathroom was small, with white tiled floors. The tiles crawled up the wall at the washing station, which contained two short, wooden stools and a low spigot on the wall. The tub ran along the opposite wall. A bucket waited to collect water for washing up, along with a bin of bathing supplies. A drain was stationed in the floor between the tub and washing station, ready to catch water from both.

"There are _two_ stools," Eimi pointed out. Koushiro took hold of her shoulders to steady her, then stepped around her.

Eimi watched his beloved face darken with color. At eighteen years, Koushiro was no longer a round-faced, vertically challenged child. His face had slimmed, calling attention to his prominent, expressive brow and the sharp intelligence in his dark eyes. His red hair was neither strictly kept nor scruffy. And though he had grown much taller and evolved from a straight body type to a form wider in the shoulders and more narrow in the hips, Koushiro was still scrawny. On the whole, he looked every bit the absent-minded intellectual that he was.

True to form, he paused and cleared his throat before responding. "I thought you might… I saw no reason why we couldn't… I'm aware that I'm prone to working too much. But technology and water don't mix, so I thought we might try relaxing together in the bath. But, ah, if you'd rather not, I can return the spare. I'm aware that it's a private ritual for most people-"

Eimi fought the urge to sniffle. Her emotions were mutinous, swelling to bursting and changing at the slightest provocation. "You put a lot of thought into the apartment."

"Of course," he said, trying to sound offhand despite his flustered expression. "I've been looking forward to this for a long time."

There was no helping it; her eyes watered, and she struggled for a way to control herself. Although gratitude was a positive emotion, it didn't mesh well with the sensual vibe she hoped to achieve. Eimi took a deep breath and hugged Koushiro, burying her face in his chest.

"Will you, um… I'm too nervous to do it myself…"

She thought she heard an odd sound from Koushiro, perhaps a half-swallowed grunt or exclamation. Before she could ask, he tipped her head up and kissed her. Eimi's eyes fluttered shut, and she tried to recall the way she had slipped her tongue in his mouth years ago. Physically, she was capable of doing it, but the heated urge to do so was absent. Mostly, she felt anxious and a little queasy. _I can_ _'t fake it. I have to be honest._

Thankfully, he didn't push. The kiss was warm and gentle, and she was almost calm by the time his fingers slid beneath the hem of her blouse. She tensed, and her teeth tried to nibble her lip, but caught Koushiro's, instead. He slipped free and whispered, "Relax."

Eimi sucked in a breath, desperate to feed her woozy brain. Although she trusted Koushiro with her life, her stomach churned. _I_ _'m not pretty. He won't like me- He'll say he does to be kind, but he won't-_

His fingers worked her buttons, but they were still shaking, and his progress was slow. Eimi buried her face in his shoulder, squeezed her eyes shut, and inhaled. His smell filled her senses, blessing them with the familiar mix of subtle deodorant spice and the less-than-subtle tang of tea. Her nerves quieted, and Koushiro kissed her temple, as if in praise. The last button came undone, and he slid the shirt off slowly, dropping kisses on her neck. She tried to focus on the feeling of lips against skin instead of the chill rolling over her.

He stepped back, and heat flooded Eimi's face. Although her eyes were downcast, she knew he was looking at her; his gaze had physical weight. After a long, unbearable pause, he said, "Eimi..."

His tone was foreign, thick and emotional, causing her head to jerk up. He was brick red, mouth a little slack, eyes dilated and bleary despite their focus on her torso. Eimi glanced down at herself, as if she was unsure of what he was seeing. She almost swayed when she realized that she was wearing new lingerie purchased for this occasion. How could she have forgotten, after spending so long picking it out?

Koushiro swallowed hard, then began removing his green button down and the undershirt beneath it. The chill in the bathroom vanished as an odd ringing filled Eimi's ears. It suddenly occurred to her that _Koushiro was stripping, too_. His head popped free of the collar, mussing up his hair. And there he was, skinny and cute and grown up and-

Her thoughts fizzled out when she noticed the hair on his abdomen, starting beneath his belly button and reaching towards the waist of his khakis. It was _red_ , bold, bright red, just like the hair on his head. _That wasn_ _'t there before, was it?!_ Eimi tried to think back to trips to the pool, but her memory bank had apparently shut down.

Before she knew what was happening, the shirts were on the floor, and her hands were sliding up his sides. Her fingers rose and fell over his ribs, and she might have scolded him to eat more if her tongue wasn't in his mouth. There was a pop against her back, the sensation of her bra clasp coming free, and Eimi arched forward, unconsciously offering herself to him. The bra she had chosen so carefully flopped onto the tiles and was forgotten.

His hands replaced the cups so quickly that she didn't feel the loss of support. She _did_ feel his fingers stretching, spreading over her breasts. His breathing hitched, breaking their kiss. Eimi grabbed his hips, desperate for purchase in a spinning room. He stared at her, eyes flickering with a fire he had always smothered in the past. Although she knew she was safe with Koushiro, a jittering pulse rushed down her system like electricity. Instinctively, she recognized the look of a man with one thing on his mind.

Then he was undoing her skirt, and Eimi grabbed the hem. Somehow, it was suddenly more embarrassing to be undressed than to strip herself. She focused on sliding her skirt and panties down, trying and failing to ignore the rustle of Koushiro stripping. Everything was heat and jangled nerves, and a heartbeat that oversaturated her eardrums and left her chest aching.

She looked at the floor to avoid anything more stimulating, which backfired when Koushiro's khakis pooled around his ankles. Eimi swallowed hard and fought the urge to choke. How in the hell was she supposed to straighten, knowing that he was…

He stepped out of his pants, and Eimi fixated on his feet, a familiar part of him. But her eyes inched inexorably up, revealing more and more of his skinny legs. The scold about eating more returned to her tongue, only to die a second time.

A voice in the back of her mind suggested that she should perhaps refrain from staring. Naturally, that advice went ignored, and she didn't look away from his groin until Koushiro cleared his throat. Her head jerked up, and she had an odd feeling of being caught misbehaving. That flash of guilt vanished, there and gone in a second like the rest of her careening emotions. She couldn't interpret his expression, couldn't even absorb it.

Koushiro stepped closer. "M-may I…?" Eimi almost pointed out that he hadn't asked before, but she suddenly realized that she was naked and he was coming closer and he wasn't really waiting for an answer, was he-

His hands landed on her hips and slowly slid back. He squeezed her butt, and she felt her flesh yield, soft and pliant. He groaned, a sound much closer to needing than wanting. Head reeling, Eimi slumped into him, then squeaked when his sex poked her stomach.

Koushiro backed away, but didn't release her. "I'm sorry- Are you alright?"

She wanted to say that she was _fine_ , thank you. Certainly not a shaking wreck of feelings and new sensations. But the concern in his eyes disarmed her, and she recalled her decision to be as honest as possible. "I… I'm overwhelmed," she admitted. "Can we sit?"

"Of course." Koushiro bent over to pull the two stools together, and somehow, Eimi's cheeks reddened further at the view of his butt. It was flat and narrow, and the knobs at the bottom of his spine showed through his skin. She had an overwhelming urge to run her tongue over the ridge and up, following his vertebrae, until her teeth sank into that weak spot in his neck-

He sat, and she blinked as a daydream that felt real shattered. Koushiro reached for her, and she took his hand and eased onto the stool beside his, ignoring the ominous trembling in her knees. He released her and reached for the shower head attached to the tiled wall. "Um, may I… Would you like…?"

She gripped the edge of her stool, head spinning with images of Koushiro's soapy hands running over her. "O-okay?" she squeaked. "If, if you want?"

He grinned and shook his head. "You make it sound onerous. You _do_ realize that this is a thinly-veiled excuse to touch you." He positioned the shower head over the waiting bucket and turned the spigot. The hissing of the stream and the plunk of water masked Eimi's faint whimper.

"Uh, um-" Everything was happening so suddenly. Yesterday, it had been years since she made out with Koushiro. But today, like magic, he wanted to take over a personal and intimate daily ritual, wanted to touch her, wanted more besides.

His smile curled into a smirk at the edges. He cupped her cheek, and although his skin was warm from contact with the water, it felt cool compared to hers. "H-How are you so _calm?!_ " she demanded.

His brow rose. "Do I seem calm? I'm anything but, I assure you. But I'm not being entirely fair; I can't help but feel reassured when you lose your composure."

"I'm composed!" she nearly shrieked. He blinked, then laughed full out, a rare and wondrous sound. Although she was embarrassed, Eimi smiled, drawn in by his happiness.

Koushiro reached for her loofa, which hung from the side of a plastic supply basket on the floor tiles. He applied her shower gel and lathered it up. Eimi grabbed his thigh, indenting it with the pressure. "It's alright," he murmured. He held her hand and tugged it towards him, placing the loofa on her palm. Some of her tension dissipated when she realized that he was starting simple, scrubbing her arm with his dark eyes on her face, monitoring her reaction.

He worked in slow, circular motions, and the combination of hot water and gentle pressure was so calming. By the time he advanced to her shoulders, she felt like a glob of putty, sighing happily whenever he found a stiff muscle to relieve. And when his soapy hands slid to her breasts, curiously abandoning the loofa, she leaned into the touch and dropped her head on his shoulder.

"Does this feel nice?" he asked. She confirmed with a breathy sigh that turned to a gasp as his thumb rolled over her nipple. It sent a little shock over her, followed by a shiver as he repeated the motion. She didn't have a name for the heated, aroused sound he made, and she didn't care. Suddenly, all that mattered was that she touch him the way he was touching her, that she make him feel good, too.

Her hands slid up his calves, over his thighs, onto his lap. They both twitched when her digits closed around his sex. There was a jolt deep inside of her, a moment of biting embarrassment and shyness. Then she noticed the velvety softness of his skin juxtaposed against the stiffness beneath, saw his eyes slide shut as his lips parted with a groan. That sound slammed the bones in her inner ear, translating into an explosion in her brain.

Her fingers worked his shaft, stumbling in an attempt to please him. _What feels good for a boy? Is there a particular spot where- What if I do it too hard- Not hard enough?_ She tried to ask, but couldn't seem to find her voice. And his eyes were still shut, possibly to cut off one of his senses while the others reeled, assuming he felt the way she did.

They opened again when Eimi retracted her touch and moved from the stool to her knees. Sliding closer, she noticed his heavy breathing and the color spreading over his face. She kissed his chest before sinking lower. The tile floor was cold beneath her, a relief against sweltering skin.

"E-Eimi?" A trembling hand stroked her head as she propped herself up with her elbows, so that his sex was at her eye level. The weight of what she was about to do clobbered her, and she stared, dazed, at that new and intimidating organ. She tipped her head back, needing to see his face.

The impression of red overwhelmed her. He was beyond blushing now, as if he had magically sunburned or broiled in the last minute. Any other time, she would have teased him. Right now, all she could do was tip her head, performing that familiar questioning gesture.

He swallowed hard, then nodded. "If, if you'd like- There's no, no obligation-" He continued to babble until Eimi screwed up her courage and placed her tongue at the base of his member. His teeth clicked together when his mouth snapped shut, startling a bubbly laugh from her. Grinning, she nuzzled him, kissed her way up to the glans, and slid him into her mouth.

He grabbed her shoulders, squeezing harder and harder as she took more of his length. She moved slowly, aware of her teeth and the strain growing in her jaws and throat.

 _Don_ _'t freak out; don't think about it; just go for it._ She inhaled through her nose, a slow, measured breath meant to soothe. An unfamiliar musky scent hit her receptors. Her body interpreted it before her mind could, and she moaned, or rather tried to with a full mouth. _That_ _'s Koushiro- That's his smell-_

The concept of careful exploration evaporated, and she slid down, taking him in to the base. The pressure in her throat made her eyes water, but the discomfort barely registered. All that mattered was giving pleasure and hearing more of those electrifying sounds.

He bent down until his forehead touched her crown. "E-Eimi, don't p-push yourself-" She ran her tongue along him in response and was rewarded with a hissed obscenity and an upward thrust. She gagged, but fell back into a rhythm, ignoring his gasped apology.

After a while, Koushiro interrupted her flow, trying to wipe the leaked tears from her cheeks and slow her down. A frustrated sound, part growl and part whine, bubbled up her throat as she grabbed his thighs and pinned them to the stool. Impossibly, his member stiffened even more.

He held her face and tried to tip it up and away from him. "Eimi, I- You need to, need to move, I-"

She pushed down, smushing her nose against his body, ignoring the tickling feeling of his hair against her face. She mewled, frustrated by how helpless she felt even as she controlled the situation, turned on beyond estimation, needing his release like she felt it herself.

His hands clenched in her hair as his head fell back. Eimi stared, watching the muscles strain in his neck. His glans hit the back of her throat as his hips jerked, and she fought her body's urge to sputter. She couldn't miss a second of this.

"Ah, _ah_ \- _E, Eimi-_ " For a second, everything was an aching haze of arousal. Then thick, hot goo dripped down her throat, jolting her out of her daze. It was salty with a mucus-like texture, and Eimi gagged and backed away. She slid to the drain in the floor and hacked, coughing everything up.

There was a thud as Koushiro landed beside her. He gathered her hair with one hand, pulling it away from her face, and stroked her back with the other. "I'm so sorry! Are you alright?"

Eimi eased herself from her knees to her rear and cupped her forehead with her hand, obscuring her eyes from view. The pain in her jaw and the rawness of her throat registered all at once, along with a searing wave of embarrassment. "I'm sorry," she rasped. "I, I wanted to- I thought I could- I ruined it at the end-"

He ran a thumb along her lips, then kissed her. It was a slow, reverent kiss, and it drew Eimi in despite everything. When he pulled back at last, she stared at him, lips slightly parted, incident already forgotten.

"Thank you," he murmured. "You were _amazing_."

A different kind of pleasure, soft and warm, buoyed her heart. A dopey smile creased her face as she looked away. " _R-really?_ "

His soft chuckle sizzled down her neurons, and instantly, that hot pleasure took over again. "Absolutely."

Flustered, Eimi grabbed her long hair and started finger-combing it. "Um, ah- I, I'm glad. I'm going to, um, clean up." She jumped up so quickly that she nearly toppled, but recovered after a few wobbly steps. Heart pounding, Eimi fled the bathroom in search of the toilet room, a toothbrush, and a few quiet moments to regain her balance.

 **Meanwhile**

Koushiro watched Eimi leave the room, admiring the swaying motion of her hips. When she was out of sight, he released a shaky breath and collapsed forward, balancing his forearms against his knees. He shut his eyes, and there she was, gazing up at him with naked adoration as her tongue and mouth worked him over. A whisper of remembered pleasure sang down his nerves, and he shuddered.

 _I need to pull myself together. She waited three years for this at my behest, when all she wanted_ _…_ There was a thumping in his chest as his heart performed an odd double-beat. He knew Eimi well enough to predict that she would be generous sexually. But seeing that prediction play out in reality…

 _All she wanted was to give._ He wiped the sweat from his brow with a trembling hand. She had pushed herself so hard, all while watching him with something close to awe, like _he_ was the one granting a favor.How the hell was he supposed to repay her? _Could_ he?

 _There_ _'s no need for nerves. Eimi will be happy with any effort from me._ Though true, that thought failed to soothe. When it came to him, Eimi gave everything; watching her gag and press down harder on him demonstrated that.

Koushiro shook his head, pulling himself back to the present. He was half-hard again and breathing heavily. _Think. What should I do when she returns?_ He tried not to picture Eimi cleaning her mouth, struggling to clear stickiness from her teeth and throat. _Why did she inflict that on herself?_

He grabbed the bucket and the discarded loofa. Although the water was barely lukewarm, he scrubbed down. After a quick cleaning session, he stood and went to the bathtub.

Like most Japanese tubs, it was short and deep. He pushed the plug into the drain and turned on the water. While the basin filled, he dried himself off and walked to their bedroom.

Koushiro went to the corner, where moving boxes were piled. He pushed them about, searching for one marked with a discrete sticker. When he found it, he slid it aside and opened it with the scissors waiting on the nightstand.

Heat rushed to his face as he reviewed the contents. Koushiro was aware beforehand that he would have little time to prep for today's activities, since Eimi and his parents were involved in the moving process. Thus, he had contacted his more experienced friends for advice. The result was a box filled with romantic items purchased at the cost of potent embarrassment.

Still, present Koushiro was grateful for the pains taken by past Koushiro. He rifled through the box and removed a bath bomb and scented candles recommended by Sora, massage oils suggested by Yamato, a kit of toys that Mimi claimed were basic staples despite his need to look them up, and Jyou's pragmatic choices of lubes and condoms. Feeling overwhelmed and slightly foolish, he plunked the candles on the few available surfaces, grabbed the bath bomb, and placed everything else in a nightstand drawer.

The water was high in the tub when he returned to the bathroom, so Koushiro turned off the spigot. He was about to drop in the bath bomb when he heard footsteps behind him. Eimi entered, wrapped in a lightweight bathrobe, her eyes on his chest rather than his face. It seemed an odd time to turn shy, but Koushiro understood.

"I drew the bath," he said, pointing out the obvious. He fought the urge to slap his forehead.

Eimi tapped the pink ball in his hand. "What is that?"

"A bath bomb." A flow of words rushed to his mouth- that this wasn't his idea, that Sora had chosen it, that he didn't really know what it did or why someone would want one. He swallowed his urge to babble and handed the ball over.

Her eyes brightened. "I've always wanted to try one of these!" She sniffed the ball and smiled. "It smells like flowers!"

Unsure of how to reply, Koushiro collected the towels hanging on the screen and pulled one of the two low stools beside the tub. He stacked the towels on it so they would be within reach. As he straightened, Eimi dropped the bath bomb into the hot water. It sank with a _plorp_.

A pink cloud rose from the sphere as it fizzed. "It's so pretty!" Eimi grinned, entranced by the tint spreading through the water. She removed her robe without thought, intent on entering the bath. Koushiro sent a mental word of gratitude to Sora as the fabric fluttered from his girlfriend's body.

Eimi dipped her foot in, then froze and tipped her head. "Um, how are we doing this? It seems like a really tight fit…"

"Let me get in first." Koushiro nudged the dissolving bath bomb into the corner of the tub before sinking into the water. The heat worked into him, relaxing tense muscles.

Eimi hovered over the tub. "Uh, where do I…?"

Koushiro moved his legs to the side, creating room for her feet. "Lie on top of me."

Color rushed to her cheeks. "Uh- Is that, uh, okay?

He nodded, unsure of what to say. Eimi stepped into the water, then stared down at him, hips swaying in a way that communicated uncertainty. Koushiro took her hand and tugged. "You're over-thinking. Just lie down on me."

She snorted, and amusement warmed away the nerves in her eyes. "You don't get to accuse anyone of over-thinking!" Grinning, she crouched down. When she hesitated, unsure of how to fit, Koushiro held her hips and guided her down, until her back was flush against his front.

She peeked at him over her shoulder. "Am I squishing you?"

"Water," he replied. "Buoyancy. I'm fine."

She relaxed in stages, placing more of her weight on him. Eventually, she breathed in deeply and made a surprised sound. "That bath bomb smells _amazing!_ And the water feels so silky? I love the color…"

"Did you notice the confetti?" Koushiro lifted a palm, showing her the heart-shaped confetti floating in the liquid. He wasn't looking forward to picking dried hearts off his skin later, but Eimi's excitement quieted that concern.

Moving slowly, he wrapped his arms around Eimi. Sighing, she leaned back against him, resting her head on his shoulder. When the last of her nerves seemed past, he disentangled their legs, which were bent at the knees to fit into the tub.

Koushiro placed the outside of his knees against the inside of hers and pushed until her legs hit either side of the tub. Eimi stirred from her doze enough to blink at him. He took a deep breath to steel himself, then slid his hand down her stomach and beyond.

"K-Koushiro?" She tensed all over again, and he swallowed a sigh as he patted her thigh reassuringly.

"I'd like to return the favor, if you don't mind." She made an odd sound, almost like a hiss in reverse, sucking in the noise. His heart sank as the silence stretched on. "Eimi… Do you really not want…? You seemed… fine… with what we did earlier."

She fidgeted, causing distracting contact between her butt and his crotch. "It's embarrassing," she whispered.

Koushiro wasn't sure how giving oral sex was less embarrassing than receiving mechanical stimulation, but he did understand the nerves involved. "I know," he murmured, kissing her shoulder. "But you're doing so well."

Her neck craned as she tried to look at him. "You think so…?"

Something about her tone, vulnerable but trusting, hinted that he had landed on a useful strategy. The trick now was to utilize praise without making his tactic too obvious. "Yes. As your partner, I need to remain in stride with you."

Although he couldn't see her face, her cheek rose with a smile. "Well, I… If you put it that way…"

Taking this as permission to continue, Koushiro slid his hands down further. She twitched, so he bypassed the more interesting area in favor of her thighs. He wanted to ask for help; direction from her would prevent needless fumbling. But he suspected the request would embarrass her, undoing the work of the warm water and his careful research and execution. And so, he fell back on the sites and videos he had studied in preparation for today, starting with soothing touches and slowly, _slowly_ working in.

As time passed, her tight muscles went lax, and her breaths quickened. Then her hips rose, straining towards his hands but restrained by his knees, which locked her in place. "Eimi…?" Koushiro murmured.

She buried her face in her hands, but he still heard her whispered, "It, it feels good. P-please..." He swallowed a groan, but couldn't prevent his hips from jerking up. Eimi ground against him, moaned, then rose towards his hands once more. " _Please?_ "

The world swam as the water swayed with her hips, as her begging roared in Koushiro's head. He couldn't think, could barely breathe, but his hands obeyed her plea. He stroked, tender but relentless, instinctively following the guide of her vocal responses. Heat surrounded him, radiating from the bath water, from her body, and especially from the slick skin beneath his fingers. Sweat dripped down his forehead, and he rubbed it off against her shoulder, unwilling to move his hands.

A shudder rolled over her, transferring to the water in ripples. "K-Koushiro-"

He kissed her cheek and was unsure if the moan that followed was in response to that or to his finger dipping inside of her. There was another shudder, then another before her hips rose while her head fell back on his shoulder. She came with a loud, breathy cry that seemed to bounce around the bathroom tiles- or maybe it was echoing in his skull.

He slowed his pace and decreased the pressure, riding out her climax until she went limp on top of him. Loud, shaky breathing filled his ears, along with the swish of water shifting from turbulent to calm.

It seemed like his heart rate had to calm along with it, but that wasn't the case. Suddenly, he was acutely aware of the power dynamics; she was languid, still shivering with the last waves of pleasure. His knees locked her legs apart against the sides of the tub. Her sex was hot and stimulated, warmed up for more. And he was aroused beyond estimation, eager to please and be pleased, desperate to relieve a hunger left unfed for years. All he had to do was shift his hips and sink inside of her, a manageable maneuver even for someone lacking athletic skill and flexibility.

He was seconds away from surrendering when she sighed and nuzzled into him. Her name slipped through his mind and his lips, overriding a primal urge to take with the conscious choice to give. _Just a few minutes longer. You_ _'ve taken pains to prepare for this; do it properly._

"Thank you." She sounded content and lazy, and Koushiro pictured a cat rolling in a sunbeam. He smiled before dropping kisses on her neck.

"You're welcome, though there's no need for thanks. In fact, I- I understand the trust you're giving me, and… Thank you." He wrapped his arms around her, trying to flex his stiff fingers without being obvious about it. Slowly, he released the pressure holding her knees up, and her legs sank down with his. She cuddled into him with a sated sigh.

"Of course I trust you. This is all new and scary, but…"

A smirk curled across his face without his consent. "Perhaps not as scary as you imagined?"

She swatted his thigh, then caressed it. "Sassy pants. But you're right; it's not scary at all."

"Agreed. Pardon me if I'm being too bold, but…" Although she couldn't see his face, he buried it against her neck, suddenly embarrassed. "Ah, would you like to… Like to move to the bedroom?"

Her shoulder rose, bumping into his neck. "Um, s-sure, but…"

Koushiro steeled himself before prodding, "But what?"

She rose enough to look at their entangled legs, then back at him. "Er… How do I get up?"

Koushiro couldn't help himself; he snorted, then began laughing full out. Eimi crossed her arms, likely trying to express disapproval, a childish response that triggered Koushiro's childhood memories. He had learned her weak spots years ago, and his fingertips danced over her ribs. Soon, giggles cascaded from her lips, morphing into laughter that accompanied his.

When he took mercy and stopped tickling her, Eimi spun around enough to smack his cheek. Then she collapsed on his chest, exhausted and breathless, and helpless to resist the long, languid kiss he stole.

"Kou-chan," she whispered when they parted. Her cheek settled above his heart, and he stroked her wet hair. "The bath is still warm."

"Shall we stay for a while?" When she nodded, he wrapped his arms around her, leaned back, and closed his eyes.

There was no need to rush, after all.

 **Author** **'s Notes:** Hey all! It's time for the oneshot I promised forever ago, which turned into a… twoshot, somehow! These awkward kids finally move it to the bedroom in the next and final chapter.

If any of you are running into Eimi for the first time, I do apologize for this, uh… Well, for this XD If you're interested, this story takes place between _Growing Up with You_ and its upcoming sequel. Fair warning, though… GUWY is _loooong_.

Thank you so much for reading! Please remember to review, it would mean a lot to me. Mwah!


	2. Pt 2

**Okaeri**

 _Pt 2 of 2_

Once they were safely out of the tub and dry, Koushiro and Eimi wrapped themselves in robes and moved to the bedroom. Koushiro stopped by the nightstand and grabbed the knob on his all-important drawer. Since he couldn't fight the urge to babble, he said, "I hope you don't mind, but I've taken the liberty of purchasing a few items for… for today."

Eimi approached and peeked into the drawer. "Uh… Sexy stuff? Like the candles and the bath bomb?"

Koushiro dearly wished that all of his supplies were that innocuous. How was he going to explain the more risque items? He did so much in the name of being prepared, but alas, his plans hadn't accounted for this moment. "Er, well… yes?"

Her responding _hmm_ filled his ears, rising and falling in a musical way that would have been pleasing without the note of suspicion. "What else?"

Koushiro's esophagus squeezed in on itself. There was no hope of speaking, so he opened the drawer further and stepped aside, gripping the nightstand for support.

Eimi transferred everything from the drawer to the bed, then stepped back to examine the collection. "Okay, um… I get the condoms and lube. And I guess this is a vibrator? But, uh… What is _this?_ " She picked up a metal plug and rotated it, as if expecting to find instructions engraved on the back.

Koushiro cleared his throat, struggling to force it open. While he was hoping to try everything in time, he already had too much to think about now. "Perhaps we should save the, uh, the toys for… later?" he suggested, his pitch unnaturally high.

Eimi stared at the supplies for a long moment, then nodded. "Y-yeah. Uh… Where did you _get_ this stuff?"

 _Shit._ Again, despite his efforts to think ahead, Koushiro hadn't considered this inevitable question. Would the fact that he asked their friends for sexual advice upset Eimi? Flustered, he employed her favorite distraction method: answering the question without offering details. "I purchased them from websites."

Eimi tipped her head and made a hedging sound that launched Koushiro from tense to paralyzed. It signaled that she wanted to ask a question, but sensed that it would upset her listener. As the said listener, that was a highly uncomfortable prospect. "I figured. But you know, that bath bomb… Sora-san keeps recommending a certain brand to me. She said her favorite has heart confetti in it."

Koushiro had no way of knowing if the bead of moisture that slid down his forehead was bath water caught in his hair or nervous sweat. Years of experience with Eimi's conversational skills told him that it was better to concede defeat now than dig a deeper grave for himself, and yet… What could he say? "F-forgive me. I, uh… I'm afraid I asked our friends for advice regarding… today."

Her eyebrows flew up, tugging her top eyelids with them. She looked so ridiculous that Koushiro smiled automatically, easing some of his nerves. "You _what?_ " she cried, making those much preyed-upon nerves pulse like lightening again.

His hands rose, flapping in front of him like dysfunctional wings. "I, I'm sorry! I realize it's embarrassing- I was certainly embarrassed- but, but-" His spastic gesturing drew his glance, and Koushiro forced himself to pause, to think. "I want this to go well," he said at last. "I want… I want to… After all of this waiting, I…"

The words he needed were there, swirling mockingly around him, like a fly he couldn't swat. All of those moments when he needed the right words, but couldn't find them, flashed through his mind. Frustration choked him, overrunning his strained emotions. His hands curled into fists as his gaze fell from Eimi's wide eyes to the floor.

Then Eimi nudged him aside, loading the toys back into the drawer. Koushiro's heart ached as she placed the box of condoms with them. After looking forward to their first time for so long and trying so hard to plan for it, had he ruined everything?

Eimi cleared her throat, and something about her hesitance made him look up. Color blossomed on her cheeks when their eyes met. "Uh… You're saying that you prepared for today. I appreciate it. And actually I, uh… I did, too? A f-few months ago, I started… I talked to Mimi-chan about which, um, type of pill she… So we don't need condoms. I mean, if you want them, that's fine, but I- I kind of hoped we could, um… Without…"

A squeak rushed up his throat, so he clamped his mouth shut and nodded. At this point, Koushiro wasn't sure if he could pull this off. Everything she said, every inch they moved towards the bed, upped his body temperature and anxiety. How much more could they rise before he simply passed out? And wouldn't _that_ give Eimi a great first impression of his skill as a lover?

"Uh, um…" Eimi dithered, then walked around the bed, stopping at the opposite night stand. A speaker waited there beside her cell phone. She plugged the phone into the connecting port and selected a playlist. "Do you mind…?"

Koushiro shook his head and tried to peer at the screen. What kind of music would Eimi find sexy? He didn't know what he was expecting, but the trills of a harp wasn't it. When he cleared away his confused frown and focused, he realized that Eimi valued soothing her nerves above setting a romantic mood.

Insults screamed in his mind, berating him for warping something exciting and sensual into a nerve-wracking trial. _If I had just followed her lead back then_ _…_

In a rare turn of events, Koushiro's thoughts came to an abrupt halt. _Wait_ _… What did we do back then?_ Each case was different, but his most romantic memories shared common themes: embraces, kisses, affectionate words, all stirring emotions that he had suppressed in the name of safeguarding their futures and his parents' reputations.

Koushiro wasn't sure what would follow, but even for him, hugging Eimi was an easy starting point. Under her uneasy stare, he lit the scattered candles, stored the lighter in the drawer, and drew the curtains shut. The bedroom dimmed, shifting a haphazard space filled with boxes to a softer, more intimate hideaway.

He pulled back the covers and forced a smile, hoping it wasn't too stiff. Following his lead, Eimi climbed into bed. He opened his arms, inviting contact. Eimi scooched closer, but stopped just short of touching him.

 _Don_ _'t be discouraged. Patience is key._ Koushiro placed a hand on her upper arm. "Are you alright?"

Looking in her eyes was like gazing through a porthole to view the storm beyond. His concern must have been evident; she winced and looked away. "I don't know," she admitted. "It's just… I'm feeling so much. A lot of it is positive, but I think most of all, I'm… afraid."

Somehow, Koushiro forced a tiny grin. "I understand, but there's nothing to be afraid of, remember? You said so yourself. Please, come here."

She inched closer, and Koushiro bridged the gap, moving into her until their sides touched. Eimi froze, and he cast about for a way to calm her. "I'm glad we can share a bed, now."

A smile played at the corners of her mouth. "Yeah. I loved sleeping close to you in the Digital World. Do you remember that?"

"Of course I do. In some ways…" He hesitated, unsure of whether he should continue. Would bringing this up calm Eimi, or upset her? But she was watching him, waiting for more, so he drew a breath and continued.

"When we were adventuring in the Digital World… It was often dangerous, and yet I didn't worry about you nearly as much as I did in our world. I was with you, and I knew that no one was hurting you emotionally."

Suddenly, Eimi seemed unable to meet his eye. "That's true, but… really sad, somehow."

Koushiro wrapped his arms around her, pulling her into a hug. "I know. But my point is that… Finally, after all this time, you're independent. I promise to do everything in my power to make our home a safe place for you. And so, if you don't want to do this now, then we won't."

Eimi's shoulders scrunched, a tightening of muscles that traveled down her body, locking everything down. "It's not that I don't want to…"

Her tenseness triggered a memory, and Koushiro eased away from her. "We should try to relax. Would you like a massage?"

Eimi blinked, then stared in astonishment. "You can- Where did you learn that?"

Koushiro held a hand up, palm out. "Please don't get too excited. At Yamato-san's suggestion, I procured massage oil and watched some videos, but I've never tried it. Still, the only cure for inexperience is practice… if you'd be so kind as to assist."

"You have… _really?_ " Her robe slid as she sat up, revealing a round shoulder. She didn't seem to notice; her eyes were riveted to his, wide and inching away from nerves and towards shock.

Koushiro allowed a rueful smile. "Is that so strange?"

A burst of pale pink covered her cheeks. "Oh! I didn't mean- It's not that-"

"It's alright," Koushiro said, taking pity on his flustered girlfriend. "Because of our situation, I've always avoided… sensual subjects in the past. But I assure you, I'm interested." He reached into the drawer, extracting both massage oil and a bottle of lubricant. "Are you?"

She shifted, knocking the robe down further. Koushiro glanced away from her cleavage automatically, then reminded himself that there was no longer a reason for restraint. Taking his courage in both hands, he slid his fingers beneath the neckline of her robe. That embarrassed flush shifted to heat, and Eimi's eyelids lowered as she glanced away.

"A-alright," she murmured. She made no move to undress, but didn't protest when he tugged at the tie on her waist. There was a sudden shift in Koushiro's blood flow as he peeled the fabric back, revealing her breasts, her waist, her hips.

The distant, far-off voice of his father whispered through his brain, carrying his wisdom. _Don_ _'t keep compliments to yourself._ While Koushiro wasn't skilled at sweet talking, he could relay a thought, or at least, that's what he told himself. The words stuck in his throat, but he forced them out. "You, you're… beautiful."

Pink cheeks rushed to crimson. "T-thanks?" That note of hesitance pained him, but for now, acceptance was enough. At least she wasn't turning his praise away.

Koushiro reached beneath the bed and pulled out an over-sized beach towel. "Do you mind if I spread this over the sheets? It will keep the massage oils off."

Eimi stood, and the robe slid to the floor. Candlelight flickered against her skin, amber spotlights winking in the dark. The harp music had given way to a piano, a slow, meditative melody. Koushiro tried to grab the comforter to pull it back and missed a few times, until he was forced to shift his gaze away from Eimi and to his task.

When the blanket was folded at the foot of the bed, he spread the towel over the sheets, then shrugged his robe off. He was suddenly grateful for the dim lighting. Intellectually, he didn't mind being naked in front of Eimi, particularly when she returned the favor. But eighteen years of modesty, especially around women, couldn't be undone in a day, and the urge to apologize for his nudity lingered, along with vulnerability.

"Please lie down on your stomach." Eimi crawled onto the bed, and Koushiro couldn't help staring at the view of her chest. When she was settled, he caught himself wondering if he could find an excuse to have her turn over, which was hardly conducive to a back massage.

 _I can_ _'t complain about this view, regardless._ Since Eimi couldn't see it, he allowed himself a grin as he spread the massage oil over his palms to warm it. When he was ready, he sat by Eimi's hips and placed his hands on her shoulders.

He couldn't see much in the dim room, so he explored with his hands, feeling the rise of her shoulder blades, the soft yielding to her waist. He tried to mimic the movements from the tutorial videos, but soon, the intention of giving a massage was lost beneath his instinctive desire to investigate. His fingertips mapped her body, charting the rise and fall of muscles and curves, noting the subtle textures of her skin. Candlelight gleamed against the spreading oil, until she seemed to glow.

Slowly, her tension drained, and her choppy breathing normalized. Time passed without his knowledge as he worked his way down. When his fingers slid against the small of her back, a low, dreamy moan spilled from her lips.

Startled, Koushiro's hands jerked, and Eimi twitched. "S-sorry!" she cried, shifting enough to glance over her shoulder. A faint gleam lit her dark eyes, just enough to reveal her embarrassment.

Koushiro paused, forcing down his fury with himself. How was he supposed to help her calm down if he was so jumpy? "Not at all," he said at last. "I want you to relax. Am I doing alright?"

"Um…" Eimi buried her face in her pillow. "I'm not sure if this is what a massage is supposed to feel like? I imagined it would be more focused on muscles. But… I think I like this better."

Koushiro was listening, he really was. But his eyes were on her hips, wondering where the light would shine against them if he oiled them up. "Oh?"

"Mm. Your hands on me… It, it feels really good. It did in the bath, too."

His hands clenched, sinking into Eimi's pliant flesh. He exhaled in a ragged breath, wondering when, exactly, he had grown so aroused. This was intended as a soothing exercise, but here he was, worked up to the edge of his control without even realizing it. The caution that had shadowed him for years, demanding that they move slowly, that he protect her from any potential harm, was crumbling to nothing.

And really, was there need for it anymore? He would always strive to take care of Eimi, to keep her needs in mind even when surrendering to his. And this first time, this introduction to physical intimacy, was vital.

But here she was, sighing as he worked his hands over her. Here he was, sliding his palms over her butt, marveling at how soft and full it was. Her hips twitched up as her legs spread, and Koushiro's attention snapped to that sweet, guarded spot, freely offered to him.

Koushiro had never felt so focused and so distracted all at once. That primal self, so often buried beneath consummate politeness, had him grabbing the bottle of lube and squeezing it into his palm. One hand continued to work her butt while the other took a more daring route. Eimi squeaked when his fingers cupped her sex, and Koushiro froze, needing to confirm her reaction before escalating.

She peeked over her shoulder. Though the room was dark, Koushiro could see the interplay of vulnerability and trust in her expression, and he could certainly feel the rising heat beneath his fingers. He heard her swallow hard.

Then her hips shifted, granting him a better angle.

" _Eimi._ " Koushiro didn't hear his own voice; he hardly even noticed scrambling to his knees. His attention was divided between stroking her, monitoring her responses, and the heat spreading from his groin to his brain, setting everything in between on fire. Although they were hardly moving, sweat beaded on his forehead, a vain attempt to alleviate the inferno blazing in his skull.

She was wet, so wet, so slick against his fingertips. They slid over burning skin, avoiding the weak spots he had identified earlier for now, providing just enough stimulation to tease. But when she whimpered into the pillow, something broke inside of him, and he relented. Clever, dexterous fingers caressed that delicate bud, such a small thing to give so much pleasure.

He expected her to shudder. He was prepared for a sigh or a moan. But Koushiro hadn't steeled himself to hear Eimi's voice break as she whimpered his name. His knees weakened, and he was forced to move one of his hands, using it to prop himself up against the bed.

"Turn over," he panted. "Please."

"W-what?" Eimi rolled onto her side, struggling for a clear view of him. Koushiro pressed down on her hip, tipping her in a full arc, moving her onto her back. Before either of them knew what was happening, his body was on hers, pinning her into the bed as he kissed her.

For a moment, she seemed too shocked to react, to even kiss him back. She came back to herself when his hand wandered back to her sex, drawing a high-pitched gasp that morphed to a moan as his fingertips worked her most sensitive places. A strange look filled her eyes before they slammed shut, but that faint glimpse sent Koushiro's pulse reeling. Even he, an inexperienced young man who often misunderstood social cues, couldn't fail to identify that flash of heat and desire as lust.

Koushiro was still processing this impossible information when Eimi cupped his face and kissed him hard, just like she had on Christmas Eve almost three years ago. He considered taking action, pressing this to its inevitable conclusion, but enough reason remained to suggest that Eimi couldn't be afraid or nervous about their first time if he somehow converted that whisper of lust to dire need.

And so, he kissed her until a sweet numbness set into his lips, until he could barely differentiate between his tongue and hers. His fingers worked, playing her like the stringed instruments in the background, waiting for those lovely signs that her pleasure was building to its peak. All the while, he fought the hysterical need mounting within him, promising himself that he'd finally, _finally_ surrender soon.

At last, her hips jerked up, and their kiss broke as her head fell back. Eimi whimpered, and another surge of need, the strongest so far, assailed him. Koushiro scooped his fingers over her vulva, collecting the mixture of lubricant and natural fluids. He swallowed a groan as he spread them over his aching member.

Breathing heavily, Koushiro planted a kiss on Eimi's neck. "Eimi, I… Y-yes?"

He expected hesitance, but Eimi flung her arms around him, squishing him into her. Her hands were flames on his back, trailing a burning path over his skin. "K-Koushiro, _please._ "

Koushiro was too far gone to notice his absolute weakness to Eimi's begging. All he could do was ease her legs further apart and feel for her entrance in the dark. Desire, instinct, need; he couldn't name the mysterious force that overcame his inherent rationality. Gently, he pushed into her, and all voices were smothered by his groan and Eimi's breathy cry.

Her body yielded to his, and everything was heat, tightness, and slick, textured membranes. Although he was hardly inside of her, Koushiro was forced to stop for fear of collapsing. His forehead landed on her shoulder, and he felt her chest rising and falling with her shallow, rapid breaths.

Pulling himself together seemed impossible, but hurting Eimi was not an option. With effort, Koushiro eased back enough to see her face. Her eyes were pinched shut above a clenched mouth, brow indented with deep, stressed furrows. "What's wrong?" Koushiro asked. "Forgive me- have I hurt you?" When no response was forthcoming, Koushiro braced himself with one forearm and used his free hand to stroke Eimi's cheek. Her skin was molten, dewy with sweat. "Does it hurt?"

Her chest lurched with another sharp breath. Koushiro cupped her breast, fingertips pressing against her heart. It pounded through her skin, like a drum beating from within. "N-no?" she gasped.

Koushiro begged his clouded brain to concentrate, to truly see Eimi. Bit by bit, he recalled that she tended to hide pain, especially when confronted about it. "It's alright," he murmured. "You can tell me."

Her eyes darted to his face before pinching shut again. "M-maybe? Yes. I, I- It's so much."

Emotional talk with Eimi was the conversational equivalent of a minefield, but what choice did he have? "I understand. What are you feeling?"

Frenzied, frightened eyes met his, and he held her gaze, hoping to exude a calm he didn't feel. He smiled, and as the moment stretched on, the worst of her manic energy faded, until she looked winded and overwhelmed. "It, it… It feels… foreign? So _tight_. Like, like my body thinks yours shouldn't be there, and it's pushing back."

Koushiro swallowed a shaky laugh. Her sex was squeezing around his, stroking against his forward motion. For him, the sensation was mind-erasing. For her… He could see it being uncomfortable. "We can stop whenever you'd like."

"No!" Her arms clenched around him, squishing precious oxygen from his lungs. "I don't _want_ to stop." Eimi probably didn't intend to whine, but the tightness of her voice made it sound plaintive. Koushiro twitched within her. Never, not even in his most sexual dreams, had he imagined a lover whining for more from him.

Affection overrode even the pleasure and the worry, and he smiled tenderly at the red, shaking woman beneath him. "Neither do I," he confessed. "Shall we go on? Promise you'll tell me if it hurts, or if you need to stop."

After a deep breath, Eimi nodded. "Okay. What… What should I do?"

His grin went sheepish. "I hardly know up from down right now. Please, just relax. Don't worry about…"

Sadly, that was as much talking as he could manage. His brain blanked, and he kissed her, recalling that he was supposed to be doing _something_ with his mouth. "Relax," he whispered against her lips.

"Um…" Eimi's arms fell on either side of her head, upturned at the elbows. "H-hold my hand?"

Nodding, Koushiro slid his hands into hers and held on tight. Then, with a final kiss, he sank deeper into her. She gasped and tensed, but didn't move away. He buried his face between her neck and shoulder, trying to kiss her skin or do something soothing, but whatever he wanted to say or do morphed into a low, needy moan.

At last, his hips met hers, and he fought the need to collapse on top of her. It was ridiculous; they had hardly begun, and his limbs already shook, his heart was already pulverizing his ribs. Even through the pleasure, panic registered. After making Eimi wait for three years, would he even last three minutes?

Eimi's fingers tightened around his, pulling his attention back to her. "Are, are we…?"

He knew it would be best to look at her, but suddenly, Koushiro felt intensely shy. "Y-yes," he whispered against her shoulder.

Her head rolled towards his, and even with their cheeks pressed together, he could hardly hear her voice. "Does it… Um, is it… good?"

Something between a laugh and a strangled sound burst free. " _Yes._ Too good, I'm afraid."

Her cheek lifted against his, signaling a smile. Her hands wiggled out of his and rose as she wrapped her arms back around him. "Don't worry. We'll practice later. For now, just…" He felt the lump slide down her throat as she swallowed. "Love me? Please?"

 _Fuck._ Was there a man on this blue earth who could resist that request? Steeling himself with a deep breath, and hoping the oxygen would quiet the ominous ringing in his head, Koushiro did as she asked.

His hips moved in an easy, slow rhythm. At first, Eimi was stiff, sometimes twitching away, sometimes kneading his shoulder blades, fingers digging into his back. Koushiro directed his intense capacity for focus on observing her, both to distract himself from mounting sensations and to tweak his approach as needed. It was simple enough to conclude that maximizing her pleasure meant maximizing contact with her clitoris. With some trial and error, he found a way to stimulate her there with both his hands and the base of his shaft.

Slowly, she began moving into him instead of away. Gradually, her clenched mouth relaxed, and cute, breathy sounds began to leak out. Then he tipped her hips up, landing on an angle that elicited a cry from Eimi that might have alarmed their new neighbors.

He paused as Eimi slapped her hands to her face, hiding it from view. "S-sorry!"

She wasn't looking, so Koushiro allowed himself a rare smirk. "It's alright. I want to hear you." He emphasized his point with a fresh attack on her weak spot and made a strange sound of his own when her back arched, slamming him deep inside of her.

Koushiro's eyes watered with the effort to hold back. "Kou-chan," Eimi gasped, still hiding behind her hands. " _P-please-!_ "

In a clearer state of mind, Koushiro might have spared a moment to reflect on how truly fucked he was. But he was only human, and the naked need in Eimi's voice obliterated any hope of holding back. They had cared for each other for as long as he could remember, and she had likely spoken his name thousands of time. But not like this; never like this.

Koushiro pressed on, no longer careful or measured, unable to study and examine. With shaking hands, he uncovered her face and drank in the visual of scarlet cheeks, pink lips spreading with moans, and eyes overfull with hunger and vulnerability. When their glances locked, she flushed, looked away, and panted, "I, I love, love you."

Any last shreds of control ruptured as his arms wound around her, pulling her in. Koushiro's hips worked without his input, hard, fast, fluid. He had to be crazy- surely it wasn't possible for Eimi to tighten even more- but damn if it didn't feel that way. His body was melting, nerves electrified, pressure building and building until it threatened to rip his limit like a stretched rubber band. And that swelling feeling in his chest, an almost frenzied adoration, wasn't helping matters.

"Eimi," he gasped. "S-sorry, I, I can't-" He cut off with a groan as Eimi's hips moved, meeting his. She pushed herself into him, catching his mouth in a sloppy, teeth-clicking kiss. Then her hands were on his butt, pushing him into her, and that was all he could take.

She cried out as he knocked her flat on the mattress, pinning her down. Each of his thrusts was punctuated by her sweet, needy cries. She clung to him, a shaking wreck so close, so close, _if he could just-_

Without warning, Eimi's teeth sank into that weak spot on his neck, the one she had loved to target years ago, delighting in drawing surprised groans from him. What had caused a shudder of pleasure back then triggered an explosion now, and Koushiro cried her name as it rushed over him in a series of relentless, blissful shock waves.

For a moment, all he was conscious of was a muted ringing, pleasure his body remembered but his brain couldn't comprehend, and extreme heat. Then his mind blinked back into life, and Koushiro found himself draped over Eimi, body flush on top of hers. Her arms squeezed around him as she peppered kisses on his neck and cheek, breathing heavily, hips still moving into his. With a little shake, he lifted himself with his elbows, suddenly aware of the layer of sweat on his skin and the growing soreness in his thighs and legs.

"K-Koushiro…" Need still filled her eyes, and Koushiro scrambled to his knees. Thinking fast, he moved between her legs and knelt, gently touching her vulva to warn her of his intentions. He interpreted her moan as permission to continue and reverently spread those flushed folds.

A flash of heat seared him when he noticed his semen dripping from her, trickling down to the towel. The enormity of what they had done walloped him, and he swallowed a bemused laugh. Somehow, after years of excitement, nerves, and worry, they had passed another milestone together.

Eimi moved towards his hands, and Koushiro willed himself to focus. "You were amazing," he murmured. Then he bent lower, employing his mouth in a more interesting task.

The first thing that registered was heat and the scent of sweat. An unknown, strong, earthy smell walloped his receptors, signaling the strength of her arousal. Then the taste spread from tongue to brain, acidic and strange.

But Eimi was too far along to last, and Koushiro was still finding his bearings when her hips bucked into his face, rising and falling in convulsions. Her hands flew to her mouth, muffling her cry of release, but not nearly silencing it. Even as he worked, stimulating her until the last waves of her climax died, Koushiro listened with appreciation. The curious researcher couldn't help but wonder what other delicious sounds he could coax from her, and how.

When Eimi was still save for faint tremors, Koushiro kissed her stomach, then stretched out beside her. She nuzzled his cheek with hers, then gave a long, satisfied sigh.

Koushiro wrapped an arm around her. "That wasn't so difficult," he said, but his offhand tone was marred by his grin. Eimi's responding laugh fed his heart, and his smile warmed.

She turned adoring eyes to his. "You were _perfect_ ," she said, and for a moment, Koushiro's pulse fumbled. He almost started babbling, pointing out that he had finished first, that there was no way it had felt as good for her as it had for him, and that he was weak with gratitude that things had turned out this well.

Happily, she kissed him, stoppering his words before they started. He was hot, sweaty, sore, exhausted. But as her tongue slid into his mouth, as his eyelids lowered, everything melted into love.

He couldn't say how long they kissed in the dark stillness of their new bedroom. After that frenzied rush, as rewarding as it was, the gentle, peaceful contact was welcome, and those soft kisses led them back to a more normal emotional state. When they parted at last, Eimi smiled, then giggled, then laughed, drawing responding laughter from him.

"W-why are we laughing?" Koushiro asked.

"Oxytocin! Endorphins!" After a few more giggles, she added, "And relief, probably? I can't believe we did so well."

Although he was pleased to have pleased, Koushiro couldn't help showing his surprise. "I'm glad, but- Weren't we a bit… awkward?"

Eimi rolled onto her side and propped her head up with her hand. "Kou-chan," she sighed, cocking a brow. " _Of course we were._ But we did it!"

Her grin shifted to a shy smile, and she rolled into him. Eimi buried her face in his chest as her arms wrapped around him. When she squeezed him, Koushiro asked, "Is something the matter?"

That bright euphoria faded from her voice. "No. I… I've just… I've been feeling so much, lately."

Koushiro fought his urge to tense. Just when he thought the most difficult part of today was over, Eimi started one of _these_ conversations. But though he was worried, he recognized the value of Eimi opening up to him on her own, unprompted. And so, he kissed the crown of her head and said, "Please, tell me."

"It's hard to explain," she sighed. Her nose rubbed his chest as her head tipped from side to side. "I'm so happy to be independent, but I'm sad to leave your parents. I _liked_ having a family- a great family, I mean."

Koushiro blinked, unsure of how the topic had jumped from sex to his parents. "Ah- You still have them. I know it will be different, since they don't live with us, but we'll still see them."

"I know, and I'm glad. But having adults I trust so close to me…" Her lips curved into a smile against his skin. "Being fussed over by your mom… It was the best. Thank you so much for giving me that."

"Eimi…" What could he say? Koushiro held her, running his hands along her back. Her skin was still slick with massage oil, and he felt a twitch in a spot that he _thought_ was sated. _Not now! Focus!_

"But I'm also _so happy_ ," Eimi continued, oblivious to his distraction. "Everything today- it was stressful, but it was _amazing_. And I know this… This is the home I always dreamed of, all my life. I'm finally here, we _finally_ made it, and now I… I can't wait to see what happens for us next."

And there it was, that odd sensation that his heart was growing beyond the capacity of his chest. Rationally, Koushiro wasn't sure how Eimi could produce such an overwhelming emotion in someone whose range of feelings was restricted. But he had long since accepted that those he cared for- Eimi, Tentomon, his parents, Taichi and the Chosen- held this odd power over him. "I'm in no hurry."

A shy smile stole across her face. It seemed like she wanted to respond, but her lips spread into a yawn. "Tired?" Koushiro murmured. He understood all too well; after all that fretting, followed by a burst of activity and a flash flood of hormones, he was exhausted.

Eimi nodded, and they folded together into a sweaty tangle of weak, rubbery limbs. Koushiro wanted to remind her to remove her contacts, but those details were already fading from consciousness. The candles were bright blurs in the darkness, and the peaceful music and the lull of Eimi's deep breathing seemed like distant background sounds.

"I love you," Eimi murmured, her tone thick with exhaustion. Koushiro's arms tightened around her, but he was too far gone to respond.

Koushiro smiled as a final thought registered before he passed out. _It_ _'s alright. Now that we live alone together, there will plenty of opportunities to show her how I feel._

And they drifted off together, already completely at home in their new apartment.

 **Author** **'s Note:** Do not fall asleep with your contacts in and candles lit! Rest assured that Koushiro woke up in about twenty minutes and took care of things. Then they ate the food Kae left them. And then, uh… Well, they likely did more sexy stuff?

ANYWAY, happy Odaiba Memorial Day! I hope this wasn't too much? Too little? Too weird? It was pretty weird for me, haha!

Remember to review, it would mean a lot to me!


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